Class03_Homework_August 28th

Beth Cavener Stichter
[Click here to see photos of how this piece was made and carved out!!]

Beth Cavener Stichter's work is on the right. She is a very successful artist who works to create very large sculptures using solid clay. 

Watch this video and click on the caption to learn more about Beth Cavener Stichter, her work, and her process. Take notes: 

http://www.followtheblackrabbit.com/about/

Carve Out Exercise-

Clay that is fresh from the barrel will be difficult to work with as it won't hold its form very well at first. Use its soft qualities to create the masses and volumes of what you plan to build for the Carve Out exercise. Let the mass/volume dry and stiffen before starting detail work. That means the form needs to be leather hard before you start doing forming or carving away of clay to make details. If you are premature about this, you may find yourself having a difficult time. When the Carve Out form is done, these sculptures will hang on the wall. I will show you how to make a hanging mechanism for doing this when the time comes. Do not worry about it at this point. Do not attempt to carve-out your form until this is covered in class. Please make sure that your work has the following qualities:

Beth Cavener Stichter

• In innovative form that is compelling to look at
• Not less than 6# and not much more than10 # in total clay weight to start
• A frontal sculpture with a definitive flat 'back' that will be attached to the wall
• Texture that is compelling, covering the entire surface in interesting ways. At least 3 textures. 
• A form that lends itself well to carving out [a head was suggested]
• Devoid of a multitude of thin appendages

Tom Bartel

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COVERED - review

• How to create a container of slip. Once you make your own, be sure to label it with a piece of packing tape that says 'slip'
• Where the ware boards are in the room and how to use them 
• Putting newspaper under your work before putting it on a wareboard. If you don't do this, your work could stick to the surface it is sitting on.

HOMEWORK

• (3) SMALL PINCH POTS due- Three small, well-designed pots should be finished this Thursday. 
• (1) LARGE PINCHED FORM due - The large pot should be finished by the end of next week, Thursday. Please see me before letting either one of these dry. 
• CARVE OUT in progress- These should be massed out and well underway so that you can begin defining parts of the form.